A surge in compound feed sales is being reported by millers, as livestock farmers ramp up ration usage to offset poor grass growth.

Merchants and feed mills across the south and southeast estimate that ration sales for May were 15% to 20% up on previous years.

The hike in usage is being driven primarily by sales to the dairy sector over the last fortnight, as farmers have struggled to keep grass in front of cows. “Feed sales for May were close to 20% ahead of last year, and most of that is down to dairy farmers,” a midlands merchant told the Irish Farmers Journal.

He pointed out that the wet and cold of March and April have now given way to drought conditions across much of the south and east.

“The first cuts [of silage] were handy enough and there’s very little coming in terms of after-grass,” the merchant added.

Peter Bolger of Wexford-based Bolger Agri said feed is running over 20% ahead of normal, matching last year’s high demand.

“High sales were driven last year by record milk prices. This year, they are being driven by a lack of grass. Many farmers in the southeast are already feeding silage and most will be by the weekend,” Bolger said.

Another feed provider in south Leinster said May ration sales were at least 15% ahead of previous years. “There are drought conditions in most areas now. Land is parched, and lighter soils are really under stress,” he explained.

A number of co-ops contacted by the Irish Farmers Journal said that feed purchases during early May were generally in line with last year, but that sales have stepped up a gear as the drought has started to bite over the last 10 days.

Grass growth across south Munster and south Leinster, and the east coast, is running around 50kg/ha/day, according to Teagasc’s PastureBase.

However, farmers maintain that grass covers have “fallen off a cliff” in some areas, with growth rates back to 35kg to 40kg/ha/day. Grass growth rates for this time of the year are normally in excess of 70kg/ha/day.

Farmers facing grass shortages have increased concentrate feed usage to 5kg to 6kg/day in the case of dairy herds, and are also supplementing with palm kernel or baled silage.